Burglar and fire safety switch



11g- 7, 1951 K. c. ISTRATI ET Al.

BURGLAR AND FIRE SAFETY SWITCH Filed Aug. 25, 1949 Patented Aug. 7, 19,151

BURGLAR AND FIRE SAFETY SWITCH Konrad C. Istrati and Lonard A. Beaudry, Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, Canada Application August 25, 1949, Serial No. 112,307

(Cl. 20D-52) 1 claim. l

This invention relates to a burglar and fire proof battery cable.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a burglar and fire proof battery cable whereby when the automobile is stored there will be no danger of fire caused by some short circuit which might develop throughout the car and wherein there is provided a simple means for disconnecting the battery at times when a short circuit has resulted, as for example when the horn continues to blow or at such times when it is desired to Work upon the ignition system of the automobile without the battery being in the circuit.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a burglar and fire proof battery cable which has a lock key associated therewith for causing the movable connecting element to be held in a retracted position and out of contact with a Xed Contact element and wherein a locking key is required to again make the connection and wherein to make it diflicult for a burglar to make the connection with the battery and to circumvent the ignition switch.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a burglar and re proof battery cable which is of simple construction, easy to install upon the automobile, truck or tractor, inexpensive to manufacture, adapted to be operated from the interior of the automobile, has a lock requiring a key to release the parts, compact and consumes little space, has a minimum number of parts and efcient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of the device embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view with portions broken away and with the contacting element moved forwardly for engagement with the xed contact on the battery terminal.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device connected to a battery and the wiring diagram showing the connection of the device and battery to the engine starter.

Referring now to the figures, I represents a terminal contact adapted to be made secure to a battery terminal II by a bolt I2 and nut I3 in the usual manner. This terminal contact I I has a portion I4 with a V-shaped contact opening I5 adapted to receive a conical movable contact I6. Surrounding the portion I4 is a metal sleeve I'l which is separated from the portion I4 by insulation I8. This sleeve is made rigid with the portion I4. Both the inner face of the sleeve I'l and the portion I4 of the terminal contact Ill have small projections to insure good gripping engagement with the insulation I8.

On the sleeve is a lock device I9 adapted to be operated by a key 2li. This lock device has an insulated latch projection 2| engageable in a notch 22 of the tapered contact I6. With the latch element 2l in engagement therewith the contact I6 will be held in a retracted position and the circuit connection with the battery broken.

A cable 23 is fixed to the contact I6 and will be urged forwardly with the contact by a spring 24 within the sleeve and reacting between an internally threaded cap 24 i'lxed to the sleeve and the contact IS. The contact can be insulated from the sleeve by insulation 26 so as to slide in the sleeve free of metal to metal contact therewith.

The contact I6 will be held in its retracted position as shown in Fig. 1. The cable 23 can be pulled rearwardly by a rod 26 extending through a dash 21 and connected to the cable by means of a ring clamp 28. A catch projecting 29 on the rod 26 will hold the same in place on the dash.

The device can be connected to the battery in the manner as shown in Fig. 3 and to engine starter 3| through a cable 32.

When the contact I6 is made free of the latch 2l, it will move forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 to establish a contact with the portion I4 and more particularly the tapered surface I5 thereof. To retract the same, the rod 26 is pulled and the key 20 turned to release the latch element 2 I. f

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a battery terminal device wherein the battery can be quickly and easily and effectively disconnected from the electric circuit of the automobile in a quick and easy manner and that the burglarizing of the automobile would require the destruction of the device or a new battery terminal in addition to the short circuiting of the ignition switch.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be'understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

VHaving thus set forth and disclosed the nature of our invention, what is claimed is:

A burglar and re proof battery cable device a tapered contact adapted to t the tapered 10 opening of the contact portion of the member and connected to the cable, a lock device having a latch element and carried on the sleeve and adapted to engage With the tapered contact to hold the same and the cable outwardly of the 15 contact portion of the terminal member, and spring means reacting against the sleeve and the tapered contact to urge the tapered contact into engagement with the tapered opening of the contact portion of the terminal member.

KONRAD C. ISTRATI. LEONARD A. BEAUDRY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,527,624 Blake Feb. 24, 1925 1,538,038 Harbes May 19, 1925 1,615,106 Bethea Jan. 18, 1927 1,635,507 Seasock July 12, 1927 2,104,689 Barker et al. Jan. 4, 1938 2,156,946 Closson et al May 2, 1939 2,472,000 Bowen May 31, 1949 

